1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a so-called curtain airbag device in which an airbag attached to a side portion of a vehicle interior is deployed between an occupant and a vehicle side wall to protect the occupant in the event of a crash.
2. Description of the Related Art
Airbag devices include various types of devices such as a driver seat airbag device that is accommodated inside the steering wheel, a curtain airbag device that is disposed along the upper edge of a window frame, and passenger airbag device that is disposed inside an instrument panel.
In general, a curtain airbag device includes a gas generator that generates inflation gas and an airbag (cushion) that is folded in an elongated form in an accommodated state and is deployed by gas supplied from the gas generator.
In general, a manufactured deployed airbag has a rod shape by being rolled up from the lower side in a roll form or a bellows form. The rod-shaped airbag is fixed to an upper portion of a window frame and a pillar. Although it is effective to narrow a pillar (in particular, the A-pillar) in order to improve the visibility in an automobile, it is difficult to narrow the pillar due to the presence of the airbag. There is a limit in forming the curtain airbag to be generally narrow when it is rolled in order to secure sufficient restraint area and strength. Moreover, clips for fixing a garnish and tether clips for fixing the tethers are also present in the pillar, which is a hindrance to narrowing of the A-pillar.